How To Become A Validation Manager: What It Is and Career Path

What is a validation manager and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

Validation managers validate the manufacturing process in a factory, making sure that all company and government standards are followed. Validation managers conduct quality analysis (QA) on individual products and equipment to make sure that they are functioning properly. They take care of administrative tasks such as documenting compliance and progress towards the validation plan. They also look at the big picture and develop operational plans that will improve efficiency in the assembly line and validation process.

Validation managers need to have extensive knowledge of the technical aspects of manufacturing, an in-depth understanding of relevant regulations, and great project management skills. They also need excellent communication skills to supervise the work of other workers tasked with validation and share operation plans.

It is possible to become a validation manager with only a certificate or associate's degree. However, a bachelor's degree in business or engineering, sometimes even a master's degree, will make it easier to find a job.

Validation managers need extensive mechanical experience before they can be promoted to a management role. Most start off as validation engineers or specialists. Once they earn a promotion to management, validation managers earn an average annual salary of $122,016.

ScoreValidation ManagerUS Average

Salary

8.3

Avg. Salary $127,882

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level

9.8

Growth rate 3%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity

2.1

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.51%

Asian 9.02%

Black or African American 3.78%

Hispanic or Latino 12.91%

Unknown 3.86%

White 69.94%

Gender

female 21.50%

male 78.50%

Age - 48

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 48

Stress level

9.8

Stress level is very high

7.1 - high

Complexity level

9.6

Complexity level is advanced

7 - challenging

Work life balance

3.5

Work life balance is poor

6.4 - fair

Key steps to become a validation manager

Explore validation manager education requirements

Most common validation manager degrees

Bachelor's

71.5 %

Master's

16.9 %

Associate

5.9 %

Start to develop specific validation manager skills

Skills	Percentages
Project Management	6.79%
QC	6.30%
FDA	6.16%
Cleaning Validation	5.09%
Regression	4.63%

Complete relevant validation manager training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 1-3 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New validation managers learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a validation manager based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real validation manager resumes.

Research validation manager duties and responsibilities

Manage the CSV project that validate 76 within 17 months saving $1.0 MM out of $8.8MM.
Implement a regression process, and manage the execution of the regression testing.
Manage an SSD validation team responsible for testing and debugging the next generation PCIe SSD's.
Manage QA disposition and review of commercial stability material and conduct investigations on out-of-specification/anomalous results.

Prepare your validation manager resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your validation manager resume.

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